Sillago japonica
Temminck & Schlegel, 1843
Japanese sillago

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Classification / Names

Teleostei (teleosts) > Eupercaria/misc (Various families in series Eupercaria) > Sillaginidae (Smelt-whitings)
Etymology: Sillago: From a locality in Australia
More on authors: Temminck & Schlegel.

Environment / milieu / depth range / climate zone / distribution range

Marine; demersal; non-migratory; depth range 0 - 30 m (Ref. 6205); subtropical; 45°N - 21°N116°E - 149°E (Ref. 6205).

Distribution

Northwest Pacific: Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan. Possibly to the Philippines. Commonly misidentified as Sillago sihama.

Maps

Sillago japonica / Native range
AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.

Sillago japonica / Suitable habitat
AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.

Sillago japonica / Point map
AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.

Sillago japonica / Year 2050
AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.

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Size / Weight / Age

Max length: 30.0 cm TL male/unsexed; common length: 22.0 cm SL male/unsexed (Ref. 6205).

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 21 - 23; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 22 - 24; Vertebrae: 35. Swim bladder with anterior projecting extensions and a single posterior extension. Body is greenish gray above, the dorsal part of the head being the darker, and whitish below. The fins are mostly hyaline; the membrane between the first to the third dorsal fin spines with minute dark brown dots; the margins of the dorsal fin with a few dark brown spots. The caudal fin with dark margins.

Biology

Occur in bays on shallow sandy flats. Maximum size is over 30 cm (Mark Donachy, pers. comm., 2001). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Greatly esteemed for its delicate flavor (Ref. 6205).

Main reference

McKay, R.J. 1992 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 14. Sillaginid fishes of the world (family Sillaginidae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the sillago, smelt or Indo-Pacific whiting species known to date. Rome: FAO. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(14):87p. (Ref. 6205)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 125652)

  Least Concern (LC); date assessed: February 04 2009

CITES (Ref. 131153)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless

More information
Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 16.1 - 25.4, mean 21.3 °C (based on 238 cells).

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD50 = 0.5 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00631 (0.00396 - 0.01004), b=3.06 (2.92 - 3.20), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.5 ±0.5 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low vulnerability (20 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Very high; Very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family.

Nutrients (Ref. 124155): Calcium = 0 [0, 0] mg/100g; Iron = 0 [0, 0] mg/100g; Protein = 0 [0, 0] %; Omega3 = 0 [0, 0] g/100g; Selenium = 0 [0, 0] μg/100g; VitaminA = 0 [0, 0] μg/100g; Zinc = 0 [0, 0] mg/100g (wet weight);